How to simulate a real mouse click using java?

Question

I'm attempting to perform a mouse click in Java, to click something in an external program. To do this, I'm using java.awt.robot, and the following code:

Robot bot = new Robot();
int mask = InputEvent.MOUSE_BUTTON1_DOWN;
bot.mouseMove(x, y);           
bot.mousePress(mask);     
bot.mouseRelease(mask);

Here's the problem. The external program is able to detect that this click is computer-generated and not human-generated, and hence, its rejecting this click.

I have already tried moving the mouse there naturally and that didn't have any effect. So my guess is, that it must be listening to the keyboard state or such, and telling from that, that the click is computer generated.

What do I have to do to set all keyboard / mouse states to act in the same way as a normal mouse click would?

You can't do that via normal channels, on purpose - because that's a security risk. — Tassos Bassoukos
– Tassos Bassoukos, Commented Oct 4, 2013 at 15:36
Then please guide me about the abnormal channels I have to use — ali
– ali, Commented Oct 4, 2013 at 15:40
@Boann Probably some software that demands a real person as user. My first bet would be an online poker (or other gambling) client. — Hauke Ingmar Schmidt
– Hauke Ingmar Schmidt, Commented Oct 5, 2013 at 12:01

Nathan Wood · Accepted Answer · 2019-01-28 17:15:54Z

69

Well I had the same exact requirement, and Robot class is perfectly fine for me. It works on windows 7 and XP (tried java 6 & 7).

public static void click(int x, int y) throws AWTException{
    Robot bot = new Robot();
    bot.mouseMove(x, y);    
    bot.mousePress(InputEvent.BUTTON1_DOWN_MASK);
    bot.mouseRelease(InputEvent.BUTTON1_DOWN_MASK);
}

May be you could share the name of the program that is rejecting your click?

edited Jan 28, 2019 at 17:15

Nathan Wood

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answered Oct 10, 2013 at 12:43

andykandev

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Comments

Ali · Accepted Answer · 2013-10-21 01:57:34Z

30

FYI, in newer versions of Windows, there's a new setting where if a program is running in Adminstrator mode, then another program not in administrator mode, cannot send any clicks or other input events to it. Check your source program to which you are trying to send the click (right click -> properties), and see if the 'run as administrator' checkbox is selected.

answered Oct 21, 2013 at 1:57

Ali

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4 Comments

Chris Over a year ago

This just saved me a ton of time troubleshooting! Had to run NetBeans as administrator -_-

Christoph Over a year ago

same for autohotkey click that didn't work, i had to run the script as admin too.

miny1997 Over a year ago

How can I circumvent it? Which OS doesn't care about it? Will UAC deactivation help?

Ali Over a year ago

@miny1997 Just running both programs in administrator mode should work

Community · Accepted Answer · 2017-05-23 10:31:22Z

it works in Linux. perhaps there are system settings which can be changed in Windows to allow it.

jcomeau@aspire:/tmp$ cat test.java; javac test.java; java test
import java.awt.event.*;
import java.awt.Robot;
public class test {
 public static void main(String args[]) {
  Robot bot = null;
  try {
   bot = new Robot();
  } catch (Exception failed) {
   System.err.println("Failed instantiating Robot: " + failed);
  }
  int mask = InputEvent.BUTTON1_DOWN_MASK;
  bot.mouseMove(100, 100);
  bot.mousePress(mask);
  bot.mouseRelease(mask);
 }
}

I'm assuming InputEvent.MOUSE_BUTTON1_DOWN in your version of Java is the same thing as InputEvent.BUTTON1_DOWN_MASK in mine; I'm using 1.6.

otherwise, that could be your problem. I can tell it worked because my Chrome browser was open to http://docs.oracle.com/javase/7/docs/api/java/awt/Robot.html when I ran the program, and it changed to Debian.org because that was the link in the bookmarks bar at (100, 100).

[added later after cogitating on it today] it might be necessary to trick the listening program by simulating a smoother mouse movement. see the answer here: How to move a mouse smoothly throughout the screen by using java?

user2080225 · Accepted Answer · 2013-10-10 00:56:07Z

5

With all respect the most likely thing is that you are mistaken about why the click is being 'rejected'. Why do you think some program is trying to determine if it's human or not? The Robot class (have used it a lot) should send messages that the operating system has no way to distinguish from a user doing the click.

answered Oct 10, 2013 at 0:56

user2080225

Comments

Taras · Accepted Answer · 2014-11-23 01:17:44Z

3

Some applications may detect click source at low OS level. If you really need that kind of hack, you may just run target app in virtual machine's window, and run cliker in host OS, it can help.

answered Nov 23, 2014 at 1:17

Taras

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1 Comment

Melauki Mawi Over a year ago

Do you have any proof on which OS and how the function is called? This way you would provide the readers to research more into your comment!

Thomas Raffelsieper · Accepted Answer · 2016-06-03 16:45:51Z

2

You could create a simple AutoIt Script that does the job for you, compile it as an executable and perform a system call there.

in au3 Script:

; how to use: MouseClick ( "button" [, x, y [, clicks = 1 [, speed = 10]]] )
MouseClick ( "left" , $CmdLine[1], $CmdLine[1] )

Now find aut2exe in your au3 Folder or find 'Compile Script to .exe' in your Start Menu and create an executable.

in your Java class call:

Runtime.getRuntime().exec(
    new String[]{
        "yourscript.exe", 
        String.valueOf(mypoint.x),
        String.valueOf(mypoint.y)}
);

AutoIt will behave as if it was a human and won't be detected as a machine.

Find AutoIt here: https://www.autoitscript.com/

answered Jun 3, 2016 at 16:45

Thomas Raffelsieper

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1 Comment

dheeraj kateja Over a year ago

How to use excel in AutoIT?Could you please explain,like where to give excel path and also if possible to click on excel.

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